WTF Stories of the Week

[Kevy Baby]

Woman sits on boyfriend's toilet for 2 years

Girlfriend was physically stuck to the seat — her skin had grown around it
NESS CITY, Kan. - Deputies said a woman in western Kansas sat on her boyfriend's toilet for two years, and they're investigating whether she was mistreated.

Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said a man called his office last month to report that something was wrong with his girlfriend.The Whole Story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23595533/)


I was almost tempted to not post this story because of the obvious mental illness the woman suffers from. But it was just so odd.

And then:

Answers elusive in case of body on ice

I'm not sure what part of the story (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dryice12mar12,0,1437136.story) to quote. Basically, they bust a guy who is a suspected drug dealer. Turns out he has been living in a $200 per night room for years. His druggie girlfriend at some point died - possibly a year ago - and he has kept her in a Rubbermaid container on dry ice, in his hotel room, presumably since her death.

It's a really weird story!

[Morrigoon]

The toilet thing is really sad, but I think it's unfair of them to charge the boyfriend for it. I mean, unless she was declared incompetent at some prior point in their relationship, and he was established as a guardian, I don't think it's really his burden to tell a grown adult what to do or force her to do it.

[Kevy Baby]

The toilet thing is really sad, but I think it's unfair of them to charge the boyfriend for it. I mean, unless she was declared incompetent at some prior point in their relationship, and he was established as a guardian, I don't think it's really his burden to tell a grown adult what to do or force her to do it.For the most part I agree. However, if a person is unable to make rational decisions for themselves and their life and/or health are in jeopardy, then the person does have a moral (if not legal) obligation to intervene.

[Capt Jack]

For the most part I agree. However, if a person is unable to make rational decisions for themselves and their life and/or health are in jeopardy, then the person does have a moral (if not legal) obligation to intervene.

one would like to think so, yeah

sadly it doesnt always work out that way. it can take an awful lot to finally push a person from

"ok, you're a grownup...you can do what you want even though we both know its not good for you and eventually its gonna blow up in both our faces"

to

"F*** this! Youre getting help even if it kills us both"

at least shes getting help.
he likely needs just as much help in one form or another

[blueerica]

Updated link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23618592/) at the bottom of the story page.

Apparently, the sheriff thinks the boyfriend should be charged.

[blueerica]

And wouldn't you know it - updated again. Same stuff, though, except the sheriff's recommendation is a bit more formal sounding.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

A new one today: German woman goes in for knee surgery, accidentally given an artificial sphinctor (http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/03/german-surgeons.html) instead. Paging Leo...

[blueerica]

Wow.

[Kevy Baby]

Wow indeed.

And in case you wanted all of the details on what exactly an artificial anus is (from Free Patents Online (http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5209744.html?loc=interstitialskip)):
An artificial anus device consists of a device body and an excreta receptacle bag, and is fastened to the abdomen of a user with a belt. The device body is provided in its central portion with a through hole into which the excreta receptacle bag and an artificial anus are to be inserted, and on the portion thereof which is around the through hole with an abdomen pressure contacting portion of a predetermined thickness formed integrally therewith. The abdomen pressure contacting portion is provided in the outer circumferential surface of its base part with a recessed locking portion with which the excreta receptacle bag can be detachably engaged. The device body is provided in the portions thereof which are on the left and right sides of and symmetric with respect to the through hole and which are formed integrally with the abdomen pressure contacting portion with locking holes in which both end portions of the belt are locked. The excreta receptacle bag has a cylindrical bag body formed out of flexible rubber or synthetic resin and having at its open end a ring type locking portion to be engaged detachably with the recessed locking portion, and a closed end portion on the opposite side of the open end thereof, the film which constitutes the excreta receptacle bag covering the abdomen pressure contacting portion of and the inner surface of the through hole in the device body, the open end of this bag being engaged detachably with the recessed locking portion.

[Capt Jack]

ok, thats it. if anything goes wrong on me, leave it the 773H alone!
not even sure I trust my dentist at this point

[Ghoulish Delight]

Man, it must be pretty uncomfortable to have to kneel on the toilet seat to take a crap.

[Chernabog]

For the most part I agree. However, if a person is unable to make rational decisions for themselves and their life and/or health are in jeopardy, then the person does have a moral (if not legal) obligation to intervene.

Moral, not legal. Generally speaking, there is no legal requirement to help another person in jeopardy. (or in wheel of fortune, for that matter)

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Yes, where is our resident sphincter specialist when we need him for informed commentary?

[Gemini Cricket]

Abigail was injured when she sat on a pool drain, and its powerful suction ripped out part of her intestinal tract on June 29. She underwent transplant surgery in December at the Nebraska hospital to receive a new small bowel, liver and pancreas.Source (http://www.ketv.com/news/15664664/detail.html)

WTF?!

[Chernabog]

Yes, where is our resident sphincter specialist when we need him for informed commentary?

Who dat?

[Kevy Baby]

Yes, where is our resident sphincter specialist when we need him for informed commentary?He's having knee surgery

[Gemini Cricket]

He's having knee surgery
Goodness, the man's falling apart. We need a replacement neo-con in these parts to taunt.
:D

[Kevy Baby]

Horse thwarts Hawaii hospital's visitation rules

Animal rides elevator to drop in on patient before security stops it
LIHUE, Hawaii - A man hoping to cheer up an ailing relative at Wilcox Memorial Hospital hadn't considered one of the visitation rules: No horses allowed.

The man thought the patient would enjoy seeing his stallion, said Lani Yukimura, a spokeswoman at the hospital. He and the horse entered the hospital earlier this month and rode an elevator up to the third floor, where they were met and stopped by security personnel.Wait a minute: you aren't allowed to take a horse into a people hospital?

The whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23764759/)

[Alex]

I like how the headlines misleadingly imply that the horse did this on its own.


HOw about this story (http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_032408_news_craigslist_hoax.1ffb2c9c.html). That's actually not the first I've heard of that happening through Craigslist.

[Capt Jack]

Horse thwarts Hawaii hospital's visitation rules

Animal rides elevator to drop in on patient before security stops it
Wait a minute: you aren't allowed to take a horse into a people hospital?

The whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23764759/)


thats not even the best part.

check the last line of the story...I literally LOL'd

:snap:

[Kevy Baby]

thats not even the best part.

check the last line of the story...I literally LOL'd

:snap:I saw that. That was good.

[BarTopDancer]

Yes, where is our resident sphincter specialist when we need him for informed commentary?

He's having knee surgery

From spending to much time on his knees. MBC, I hope you're proud of yourself! :p

[scaeagles]

A new one today: German woman goes in for knee surgery, accidentally given an artificial sphinctor (http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/03/german-surgeons.html) instead. Paging Leo...

Someone really needs to PM me when something like comes up and I'm out of town. There were over 1600 posts when I got back and i didn't have the time to look at all of them.

All I can say is mine is still 100% natural. And it's not that one I had altered anyway.

And Chernabog, you really don't know who they are referring to? I thought everyone was well schooled about my sphincter (not that one) reconstruction.

[RStar]

Someone really needs to PM me when something like comes up and I'm out of town. There were over 1600 posts when I got back and i didn't have the time to look at all of them.

All I can say is mine is still 100% natural. And it's not that one I had altered anyway.

And Chernabog, you really don't know who they are referring to? I thought everyone was well schooled about my sphincter (not that one) reconstruction.

Was that the sphincter lift, or the anal tuck? :D

[BarTopDancer]

Someone really needs to PM me when something like comes up and I'm out of town. There were over 1600 posts when I got back and i didn't have the time to look at all of them.


Awww. Poor Leo. Maybe if you had gotten up off your knees, MBC would have let you check the board. :p


:evil: :evil: :evil:

[scaeagles]

Was that the sphincter lift, or the anal tuck? :D

Imagine a short roller coaster with a lift, dive, and corkscrew, and that's what it looks like.

Not that sphincter.

[scaeagles]

Awww. Poor Leo. Maybe if you had gotten up off your knees, MBC would have let you check the board.

MBC wasn't in Orlando last week. Sorry.

You're mean.:p

[Kevy Baby]

You're mean.:pAh, the truth can hurt.

[Chernabog]

MOLESTED BY BIGFOOT (http://news.aol.com/story/_a/man-claims-he-was-molested-by-bigfoot/20080327154809990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001)

Oh yeah!! The first comment in the article itself made me giggle. (but the other comments to the article are funny too)

[Kevy Baby]

MOLESTED BY BIGFOOT (http://news.aol.com/story/_a/man-claims-he-was-molested-by-bigfoot/20080327154809990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001)

Oh yeah!! The first comment in the article itself made me giggle. (but the other comments to the article are funny too)I assume you mean this and not the first paragraph (as it was, well, not funny):
The claim inspired some snickers from locals in Stafford County. "I think he's an idiot," one man said.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

This isn't a story, but it sure made me say, "What the fück!?!"
Spaghetti straps Aretha? Really?!? How were your shoulders not bleeding by the end of the night?
http://www.davidemaggio.it/images/aretha3.jpg

[RStar]

This isn't a story, but it sure made me say, "What the fück!?!"
Spaghetti straps Aretha? Really?!? How were your shoulders not bleeding by the end of the night?

A picture says a thousand words........

[Chernabog]

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb99/jlevy77/artiearetha1-1.jpg

OMG when I saw this I almost blew Knott's Berry Punch out my nose.

[Capt Jack]

Was that the sphincter lift, or the anal tuck? :D

you kinda have to do one before doing the other, dont you?

:D

[blueerica]

Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say WTF, because it makes sense from a biological standpoint in this particular case, but the photos are pretty astounding...

Pregnant 'Man' (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23942218/wid/11915773?GT1=31037)

[Moonliner]

Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say WTF, because it makes sense from a biological standpoint in this particular case, but the photos are pretty astounding...

Pregnant 'Man' (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23942218/wid/11915773?GT1=31037)

I saw a news bit on that today and I was wondering if it would get coverage on LoT. I really don't see what the big deal about a woman having a baby is. Biology does not care much for legal distinctions.

[Chernabog]

I saw a news bit on that today and I was wondering if it would get coverage on LoT. I really don't see what the big deal about a woman having a baby is. Biology does not care much for legal distinctions.

Because it is a transgender MAN having the baby. People who are transgender often feel that there was a biological f**kup that is being corrected by making their bodies match their gender (or lack thereof... there's a lot more to it than a man wanting to be a woman and vice versa, as in, a lot of gray shades in between). For one thing, the FTM (female-to-male) involved in this has been taking testosterone for many years, I believe had the "top surgery" (double masectomy) -- socially and mentally (and hormonally) this person is male, with the chromosomes and nether regions as a female.

To say that this person is a woman with a mere LEGAL distinction of being male is incredibly trivializing and condescending.

I mean, I guess you could say that you don't see what the big deal of a person who was born with a vagina and uterus having a baby is, but it IS an odd case because of the social aspects of the whole thing.

[Morrigoon]

Yeah, but it's still a person with a functioning (and I'd like to point out, their OWN) uterus. It's not someone who never had a uterus of their own, or who had it removed. I mean, if this was someone who'd been born a man but had a uterus implanted in them, and it worked, THAT would be pretty freaking impressive.

Someone sporting a beard that happens to still have their original plumbing, not so much.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yeah, it's the fact that the headline leads make it seem like some medical miracle.

[Chernabog]

Yeah, it's the fact that the headline leads make it seem like some medical miracle.

It's a social oddity, not a medical miracle. The first line of the article makes clear that the pregnant person is a transman. It makes one think of how gender and sex are not one and the same (and, as a side note, the changeable nature of gender and/or genitals in relation to marriage, laws [some people would see this as two women who are legally married], the nature of family, etc. etc.) I'm not going to go into a whole dissertation (when I haven't had any coffee today lol).

Someone sporting a beard that happens to still have their original plumbing, not so much.

As someone who was roommates with a trans FTM when he started hormone therapy, that's again very trivializing and condescending. This person is a man, not a bearded lady. Again, it's the social aspect of all this in relation to gender, not any biological miracle aspect (which I agree, it isn't).

[Moonliner]

Because it is a transgender MAN having the baby. People who are transgender often feel that there was a biological f**kup that is being corrected by making their bodies match their gender (or lack thereof... there's a lot more to it than a man wanting to be a woman and vice versa, as in, a lot of gray shades in between). For one thing, the FTM (female-to-male) involved in this has been taking testosterone for many years, I believe had the "top surgery" (double masectomy) -- socially and mentally (and hormonally) this person is male, with the chromosomes and nether regions as a female.

To say that this person is a woman with a mere LEGAL distinction of being male is incredibly trivializing and condescending.

I mean, I guess you could say that you don't see what the big deal of a person who was born with a vagina and uterus having a baby is, but it IS an odd case because of the social aspects of the whole thing.

Nature also does not care about how one feels or their mental outlook. Nature is a cold hard bitch that eats baby seals and lets kittens starve.

So yeah, I don't see how a messed up individual having a baby makes national headlines. It happens everyday. If she can love and take care of the child then great for her but is it news? I still say no.

The news story I saw was all about "medical miracle" Man having babay. Which is not true and that's what I responding to not the individual in the story.

[Chernabog]

So yeah, I don't see how a messed up individual having a baby makes national headlines. It happens everyday. If she can love and take care of the child then great for her but is it news? I still say no.

The news story I saw was all about "medical miracle" Man having babay. Which is not true and that's what I responding to not the individual in the story.

:mad:

You're not making any sense here whatosever.

First, you're responding to the "messed up individual" (ummmmmm how many trans people do YOU know, apparently zero). Which you were responding to before.

Then you say you're not responding to the individual, you're responding to the news headline. Which said nothing about a medical miracle. The person is indeed a transgender man who is pregnant.

Now what do nature and seals have to do with the price of dogfarts in China?

[Kevy Baby]

What do you call the surgery for a sex-change to go from a woman to a man?

Adadictamy (say it out loud - several times if necessary)

[Moonliner]

:mad:

You're not making any sense here whatosever.

Yeah, I get that alot. ;)

:mad:

First, you're responding to the "messed up individual" (ummmmmm how many trans people do YOU know, apparently zero).

Yes, messed up in a chemical/physical sense. If you deny that you are closing your eyes to the truth. On an emotional/social level I have no idea this individual might be another Jack the ripper, a Mother Teresa or anywhere in between I have no idea and it's not really relevant anyway.



Then you say you're not responding to the individual, you're responding to the news headline. Which said nothing about a medical miracle. The person is indeed a transgender man who is pregnant.


I'm responding to A news story not the news story. "Medical Miracle" was the title of the story I'm talking about.

[Alex]

I had seen tons of headlines about this but never followed through. But not one headline I saw gave any indication that it wasn't a biological male person that was pregnant.

But I was able to guess it which is why I never followed through to read an actual article.

[alphabassettgrrl]

He was on Oprah today. I haven't watched it yet.

Gender is a fascinating subject with endless variations.

[Chernabog]

Yeah, I get that alot. ;)

Me too, no worries. :)

Yes, messed up in a chemical/physical sense. If you deny that you are closing your eyes to the truth. On an emotional/social level I have no idea this individual might be another Jack the ripper, a Mother Teresa or anywhere in between I have no idea and it's not really relevant anyway.

The implication you made before is that trans people are messed up, they aren't normal people, that they're mentally and socially lacking (i.e. not right in the head, etc.). If you say someone got "messed up" or are "messed up", that is pretty negative connotation. Maybe we're just arguing semantics here. Many trans people have happy, fulfulling, productive lives, and the only difference between you and I and them is that they were born with the wrong set of physical glands. To think about this stuff certainly screws with one's traditionally taught concepts of gender, sex, social norms, and the idea of what is "normal" to begin with.

I'm responding to A news story not the news story. "Medical Miracle" was the title of the story I'm talking about.

Well then whatever newsperson wrote that particular headline was a complete schmuck. ;)

[Morrigoon]

As someone who was roommates with a trans FTM when he started hormone therapy, that's again very trivializing and condescending. This person is a man, not a bearded lady. Again, it's the social aspect of all this in relation to gender, not any biological miracle aspect (which I agree, it isn't).

Cherny, you know I love my "trans" friends (okay, friend), and acknowledge trans people by whichever gender they feel suits them best, but I still refuse to act amazed that a man has a baby if that man still has his female plumbing intact.

And I didn't say a bearded lady. I said "someone sporting a beard that happens to still have their original plumbing." I believe I made that distinction.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Oprah actually did a decent job with the appearance. A couple odd looks toward the audience, like to say "isn't this weird" but on the whole, not so bad I guess.

Advocate has an article by Tom Beattie (there is a picture)http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid52947.asp

My favorite quote: >>In a technical sense I see myself as my own surrogate, though my gender identity as male is constant.<<

A response, also on Advocate:
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid53091.asp
It's a supportive response.

[BarTopDancer]

Every headline I have read on this implies that a man, born a biological male was pregnant. What reality is a man, who was a woman, decided to keep his biological "plumbing" so he could have a child one day. The "plumbing" he was born with. The plumbing that was designed by nature to produce children. If a man, who was born a biological male was also born with ovaries and a uterus, the story would be *news* to me.

It saddens me that he is experiencing discrimination in receiving care because he changed his gender identity. But I don't think him being pregnant is any sort of medical miracle then any other couple who undergoes artificial insemination since at one time, he was a woman, with female organs, that he chose to keep when he became a man.

Few concerns though - what happens if they can't get to the hospital in time to have a C section? What will happen to the breast milk that develops?

[Chernabog]

Few concerns though - what happens if they can't get to the hospital in time to have a C section? What will happen to the breast milk that develops?

I'm pretty sure the person in question didn't change anything "down there", so a vaginal birth isn't out of the question. And they DID have a double masectomy, so there is no tissue to produce milk, I don't think.

[alphabassettgrrl]

The trans community is upset mostly by Tomas going public. They could lose a lot of ground from the public's fear in response to the pregnancy. Child custody, rights to transition, control over their lives and their right to live as they feel they need to.

My friend wrote the Advocate response. I'm proud of ... well, I know Levi as "her" but he prefers "him".

[BarTopDancer]

I'm pretty sure the person in question didn't change anything "down there", so a vaginal birth isn't out of the question. And they DID have a double masectomy, so there is no tissue to produce milk, I don't think.

If he didn't change anything "down there" then how can he legally be a man and legally married to a[nother] biological woman? I'm totally un-knowledgeable in this area.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

http://www.davidemaggio.it/images/aretha3.jpg

What the F? Did she mistakenly open the freekin' Lost Ark?

I bet there are 6 or 7 hillside homes stuck under those puppies...

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The headline should have been "Transgender Person Pregnant."

It's hard to say "That person is a man" when that person actually has a uterus. This isn't a matter of being insensitive, it's a matter of fact. I'd say "That person identifies as a man".

However, it would seem to me that if you want to remain a viable mother then you want to be a woman. The idea that you can be both simultaneously just sounds like they don't really identify as anything and they want to play both sides. If that's the case, they shouldn't claim they identify as a man, they should claim that they identify as both, which is fine by me, really. It's none of my business whether he/she wants to be masculine, feminine, both, or asexual.

[mousepod]

With apologies to NA. (http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_sounds/lb/box.wav)

[Morrigoon]

Have you guys seen this yet? (video link) (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23999224#23999224)

Holy crap... a town of 1951 people, and they're removing over *400* children from this polygamy compound!

Here's the text story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23993440/ (talks more about the polygamy arrests than what a big deal it is to remove a quarter of the population of a town and take them into state custody - which the video link does)

[Alex]

Can anybody point to more information about the initial call to authorities? So far I've not seen much detail but it sounds like they don't know who the girl is.

While I don't really approve of this group (I'm all for polygamy, just not polygamy involving children as the marrying parties) but putting hundreds of children and detaining scores of adults based on an anonymous phone call seems a bit of a stretch. So I'm hoping I just haven't seen that information.

[Morrigoon]

Because it involves sexual abuse of a minor, they can't release the name of the girl. The impression I get though is that they don't know (or haven't revealed) if they've found her.

The women who left did so of their own accord (to whatever extent "voluntarily" is, when authorities are involved).

The impression I get is that some of the underage "kids" removed have kids of their own, also removed. So I'd say there is sufficient evidence there.

[Strangler Lewis]

If he didn't change anything "down there" then how can he legally be a man and legally married to a[nother] biological woman? I'm totally un-knowledgeable in this area.

What is the law in California on defining men and women for marriage? Military service? Affirmative action? Is it based on chromosomes? Parts?

[Alex]

The second article you linked to said the authorities were uncertain whether the girl in question was among those removed, which suggested to me they didn't know for sure who she was. But those paragraphs have now been rewritten to say they don't know where she is, which is less suggestive of the idea that they don't know who she is.

I'm not at all questioning whether they should be detained and removed (I'm pretty sure that is the case). It just seemed questionable from the reporting I'd seen what the underlying justification to go in was.

I'll eventually see the details. Unless they're only shown on Nancy Grace. Then I'll just have to live in ignorance.

[alphabassettgrrl]

If he didn't change anything "down there" then how can he legally be a man and legally married to a[nother] biological woman? I'm totally un-knowledgeable in this area.

Legal change of status required one of the three possible surgeries, and Thomas had his breasts removed. Genital surgery is not required (and often messes up more than it fixes).

The headline should have been "Transgender Person Pregnant."

I do agree there. Media sucks. A lot.

However, it would seem to me that if you want to remain a viable mother then you want to be a woman.

I think the issue was more of expediency than of wanting to be a mother. He wants to be a father. I think they would have difficulty adopting, so "being [his] own surrogate" is a sure way of ensuring parental rights in the future.

What is the law in California on defining men and women for marriage? Military service? Affirmative action? Is it based on chromosomes? Parts?

I think if we based gender status on chromosomes a lot of us would be very surprised. I'm not actually sure what the legal status is based on. I'm just glad I was born with the bits that match my sense of myself. Not everybody is so lucky.

[Kevy Baby]

Man with suicide victim's heart takes own life

He even married the donor's widow after the transplant 12 years ago

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - A man who received a heart transplant 12 years ago and later married the donor's widow died the same way the donor did, authorities said: of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.The whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23984857/).

[Moonliner]

He even married the donor's widow after the transplant 12 years ago



Some women just have that effect on men.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Remind me not to marry her.

[Kevy Baby]

Was it her or the heart? I think they should have transplanted it into ANOTHER person just to see what happened.

[Morrigoon]

Can you imagine being the woman who had two husbands off themselves?

[Capt Jack]

would sorta make you wonder, wouldnt it?

wow.....that story sorta weirded me out

[cirquelover]

Wow, I feel for the poor widow though. Strange coincidence or something else. Que spooky music

[JWBear]

Was her name Debbie?

[Mousey Girl]

no, her name is Dawn.

[Kevy Baby]

duh

[Kevy Baby]

Baby with 2 faces born in north India
Doctors say infant with rare condition is doing well

SAINI SUNPURA, India - A baby with two faces was born in a northern Indian village, where she is doing well and is being worshipped as the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess, her father said Tuesday.Whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24012024/).

[JWBear]

:eek:

[innerSpaceman]

Well, then I'm glad she was born in India ... rather than say, oh, Sparta.

[BarTopDancer]

Did you see the other baby in that article?

I wonder why so many birth defects are happening in India.

[wendybeth]

While I'm fairly certain there are a lot of conditions such as pollution, poor diet and such could be the culprit, I suspect it's really a numbers game. The sheer volume of babies born in India each day has to be enormous, thus increasing the odds of oddities.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I wonder if both faces are functional. Do they have different personalities?

[Morrigoon]

Apparently both faces blink and drink

[Alex]

I was made curious. And when I get curious I do pointless research. And having done that I share it with people who don't care. India has a population of 1.1 billion. They have an annual birth rate of 23 births per 1000 people. Resulting in 25.3 million babies born each year.

Here's the number for the top 20 countries. A baby born to a top 20 country has almost a 1/3 chance of being born in India. I suspect China also has a lot of interesting defects but the information infrastructure probably isn't as good at getting the word out.

India - 25.3 million babies born
China - 17.0 million
Nigeria - 5.9 million
Pakistan - 4.4 million
Indonesia - 4.3 million
United States - 4.2 million
Bangladesh - 3.9 million
Brazil - 3.6 million
Ethiopia - 2.9 million
Philippines - 2.3 million
Mexico - 2.1 million
Egypt - 1.8 million
Vietnam - 1.6 million
Russia - 1.5 million
Iran - 1.4 million
Turkey - 1.3 million
Japan - 1.1 million
Thailand - .92 million
France - .78 million
Germany - .67 million

[cirquelover]

Seriously, is that accurate?! They have 25.3 MILLION babies born each year!? I have to asume it is because, well it was Alex doing research but man alive that number astounds me!

[Alex]

Well, they have 1,100,000,000 people in the country so 25,000,000 babies isn't really such a huge number. As far as birth rate goes, India is about middle of the pack. What's remarkable is how low China's is (and the reasons for that are pretty obvious, I'm just always amazed at how successful their population controls have been).

[Moonliner]

While it may not have the panache of a two faced child, I was mildly amused by this quote regarding an advertisement that was pulled from our metro system here in Washington ahead of the Pope's visit:

What we didn't realize is that the bobblehead wasn't an accurate depiction of the Pontiff," says Farbstein."

[Kevy Baby]

And when I get curious I do pointless research. And having done that I share it with people who don't care.
This is why I like you: to know that I am not the only person who does this kind of thing
I DO care!Seriously, is that accurate?! They have 25.3 MILLION babies born each year!? I have to asume it is because, well it was Alex doing research but man alive that number astounds me!One really can't judge it without looking at the corresponding death rates.

[Alex]

(I had this number last night but it seemed completely irrelevant)

Currently India has an annual population growth rate of 1.46% which is a gain of about 16 million people per year.

So, since 25.3 million are born, you can assume that at least 9 million or so die each year (though there are other means of population increase and decline birth and death should swamp them out).

India's 1-year infant mortality rate is 55/1000 live births. So that means of the 25.3 million born per year, 1.4 million die within a year. In other words, more babies die each year in India than are born in Turkey, Japan, Thailand, France, or Germany.

[Morrigoon]

Holy crap!

[cirquelover]

So this one makes me very angry: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24026486/?GT1=43001

Brief synopsis, he beats his kid with a video game controller, Mom hears it and does nothing until she realizes the child is unconcious!! WTF!! Now the child is dead and it's obvious to authorities that this wasn't the first beating.

Today my faith in humankind is at an all time low, not just because of this though.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Child abuse is child abuse, no matter the instrument...and it's not new. I just hope it's rarer than I think it is.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

This is a real wtf?! Drink up!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351230,00.html

[JWBear]

"Mum" looks to be a bit of a drinker, too!

[Moonliner]

WTF?

I noticed a new icon on the CNN website today. Next to select articles it has a T-Shirt icon. So I clicked. Yup, you can now get T-shirts emblazoned with headlines from CNN. So hurry and get your:

"Waist food served up to hungry diners" (http://www.cnn.com/tshirt/?headline=Waste%20food%20dished%20up%20to%20hungry %20diners&date=1208772622000&hash=4f2e03baf9a0cc4ed25c0dee1d0a56d3&return_uri=http://www.cnn.com/video/%23/video/world/2008/04/20/vanmarsh.uk.food.whip.cnn) T-shirt

[Morrigoon]

Hahah!

[Moonliner]

I can tell this is going to be no end of fun...

Weird fish leave sea, spawn on beach (http://www.cnn.com/tshirt/?headline=Weird%20fish%20leave%20sea%2C%20spawn%20 on%20beach&date=1208775827000&hash=9153f55625ac032cb58bdd3882e94b18&return_uri=http://www.cnn.com/video/%23/video/offbeat/2008/04/21/ca.grunion.run.cnn)



Awww damn. I can't get a T-Shirt for:

Dad mistakes young son for prey, shoots

[Kevy Baby]

"Waist food served up to hungry diners" (http://www.cnn.com/tshirt/?headline=Waste%20food%20dished%20up%20to%20hungry %20diners&date=1208772622000&hash=4f2e03baf9a0cc4ed25c0dee1d0a56d3&return_uri=http://www.cnn.com/video/%23/video/world/2008/04/20/vanmarsh.uk.food.whip.cnn) T-shirtFunny typo in your post.

[Moonliner]

And how could anyone resist the opportunity to wear this gem of a T-Shirt:

Boy charged with sharing nude cell pics (http://www.cnn.com/tshirt/?headline=Boy%20charged%20with%20sharing%20nude%20 cell%20pics&fhash=45ebe4144022b12f1c0f61df4500208b&date=1209037209000&hash=dd944dc4138fec7e45949e3e24898edd&return_uri=http://www.cnn.com/video/%23/video/tech/2008/04/24/delacruz.cell.phone.porn.cnn)

[Kevy Baby]

Police: Man confined daughter, sired her 7 kids
3 of her children ‘never saw sunlight,’ official says; outrage in Austria
AMSTETTEN, Austria - A toy elephant sat atop the medicine cabinet. Stickers of a chubby butterfly and smiling octopus decorated a wall.

But the door to those rooms was sinister — a soundproof slab with a keyless, electronic lock requiring a secret code that hid what police called a windowless house of horrors.

In those cell-like rooms behind that door, investigators say retired electrician Josef Fritzl imprisoned his daughter for 24 years and fathered seven children with her.

Three of the children "never saw sunlight" for years until they were freed this past weekend, they say.The whole disgusting story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24337573/).

[alphabassettgrrl]

I saw that. Dad locked her up when she was 11. Dang. She was "psychologically disturbed" and wouldn't talk until they reassured her she need have no contact with her father and that her kids would be cared for.

No kidding. Poor girl. Poor kids. Hopefully they can have lives after they get some therapy.

[katiesue]

She was 18 - her father made her write a note that she had run away. Then he and his wife, her mother, adoptoed or fostered three of the kids. The dad made her write notes that she was abandoning the kids. He told everyone she had joined a cult.

I don't get it. At what point does one think - hey my 18 year old is hot let me just build a prison in my basement and keep her there as my own pet??

[innerSpaceman]

perhaps at the same point this thread goes from What the Fu<K Stories to seriously disturbing stories.










Never.click.this.thread.again.

[CoasterMatt]

:evil:

[Prudence]

My WTF story of the week:

Someone moved one of my plants. As in it was planted in the ground, and now it's planted in the large planter with the rose from my mother-in-law. Someone came into my fenced-in back patio area, dug up one of my plants out of the ground and re-planted it in a pot that already had another plant in it.

WTF?!

[innerSpaceman]

Believe it or not, i've heard of people digging up other people's plants in a pot and re-planting them in the ground ... to steal the pots.


But the other way around? Gives new meaning to WTF alright.

[JWBear]

:evil:

That was seriously disturbing. :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Mousey Girl]

Pru, keep your eye on it. They may have repotted it to make it easier to cart off at a later date.

[wendybeth]

Before we get Pru all unsettled, let us remember that she resides in the Seattle area. It's highly likely that some Master Gardener/Greenpeace officer/Starbucks barista just happened to notice that the plant might be happier in the pot and kindly adjusted it's environment accordingly.

[Morrigoon]

A friend of mine had all her rosebushes stolen from her front yard one night (in Arleta) a year or two ago. Someone literally came by and pulled them all out of the ground and took off with them.

[Prudence]

I don't think carting it off is an option. First - the plant moved isn't that exciting. Second, the pot it's now residing in is ginormous and not likely to be carted anywhere. I suspect WB is closer to reality, sadly.

[Moonliner]

Have you ruled out sleep gardening?

Check your night cloths for dirt stains....

[Kevy Baby]

Matt: you promised to not post that picture of me.

[Moonliner]

[B]Police: Man confined daughter, sired her 7 kids

Every time I see one of these stories (they are far to common) I wonder what other girls are currently trapped in a dungeon somewhere and when/if they will be rescued. How many are out there, how many will never be found.

[Morrigoon]

Stupid men... I say we jail you all for our own good.

=P

[Kevy Baby]

Whereas all women are super intelligent :p

http://www.umbrellavideo.com/images/smoking_mother.jpg

http://www.breakitdownblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/britney_pregnant_smoking.jpg

[Morrigoon]

T'were a joke, dearie. Bit of performance art... I was channeling the government :)

[JWBear]

Stupid men... I say we jail you all for our own good.

=P

Goonie... Can us gay boys stay out of jail? We have absolutely no desire to lock young girls away and force them to have our children. Ain't gonna happen. <eww>

[Morrigoon]

Yes of course dear. Who else is going to fulfill the role of jailer and "head interrogator" ;)

[Morrigoon]

Haha... looks like some groups are taking PETA to task for not doing enough for animals: http://www.newsweek.com/id/134549?GT1=43002

[Capt Jack]

Stupid men... I say we jail you all for our own good.

=P

you'll never take me alive
:argghh:

[innerSpaceman]

Goonie... Can us gay boys stay out of jail? We have absolutely no desire to lock young girls away and force them to have our children. Ain't gonna happen. <eww>

Yes, but I have a young boy locked away in a dungeon ... and despite the fact that he can't really have my children, I keep breeding him anyway. :evil:


Lock me up for the sake of all the young boys who will otherwise be locked up.


Gay Boys ain't safe.

[Kevy Baby]

T'were a joke, dearie. Bit of performance art... I was channeling the government :)I knew - I was playing along wit ya!

I shoulda added a smilie or something.

[blueerica]

I'd say I was surprised, but maybe I'm not (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353157,00.html). It still gets filed under WTF.

[Kevy Baby]

I'd say I was surprised, but maybe I'm not. (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353157,00.html) It still gets filed under WTF.Police said that he did not call for help, but a witness dialed 999, the British equivalent of 911.

When the police arrived they found the victim a short distance away and took him to a hospital, from where he has since been discharged.And I'll bet the dude was pissed that he lost his place in line.

[Moonliner]

Stupid men... I say we jail you all for our own good.

OK, I'd be willing to exlpore the whole domination thing.... :D

Goonie... Can us gay boys stay out of jail? We have absolutely no desire to lock young girls away and force them to have our children. Ain't gonna happen. <eww>
Yes of course dear. Who else is going to fulfill the role of jailer and "head interrogator" ;)

Oh ****! Never mind. :eek:

[JWBear]

Yes, but I have a young boy locked away in a dungeon ... and despite the fact that he can't really have my children, I keep breeding him anyway. :evil:


Lock me up for the sake of all the young boys who will otherwise be locked up.


Gay Boys ain't safe.

I'm going to assume you are kidding. (But with you, one never knows....) :eek:

[Kevy Baby]

Some more information is coming in on the daughter imprisonment story:

AMSTETTEN, Austria (AFP) — Austrian police said Wednesday the man who held his daughter prisoner for 24 years and fathered seven children with her had no accomplices and planned his crime too meticulously to have been caught any earlier.

When she became pregnant from the abuse, he began to expand the purpose-built dungeon from initially one room to three, measuring 60 square metres (646 square feet) in all.No one was aware of the existence of the underground prison, not even fire inspectors who routinely checked a heating boiler in the cellar in 1999.

"You have to go through five different rooms to get to the room where the door to the dungeon was," investigator Polzer said. "And in order to get to that door, you had to first partially dismantle some bookshelves."

The door itself, about one metre high (three feet) and 60 centimetres (1.9 feet) wide, was reinforced with concrete and had an electronic lock that could only be opened with a remote control.

The bunker itself was equipped with a refrigerator, a freezer and a washing machine which would have enabled Elisabeth and her children to live "for several weeks" without need for new supplies from Fritzl.Which made me wonder: what would have happened if he had died without releasing them?

And how was he able to construct and outfit the rooms (including appliances!) without anyone knowing?

[JWBear]

Man finds skeleton in newly trimmed tree (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbskeleton0429sbapr29,0,2673519.story)

How no one smelled the horror that authorities say may have been up in Glenn Parker's overgrown tree for a year is a mystery, but the partially mummified body made itself known last week.

[Capt Jack]

how was he able to construct and outfit the rooms (including appliances!) without anyone knowing?

646 square feet over 24 years + a few appliances coming back n forth probably wouldnt really attract a lot of attention. sure wouldnt around here

Man finds skeleton in newly trimmed tree (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbskeleton0429sbapr29,0,2673519.story)

yeah, I think that definitely qualifies for this thread :eek:

[SzczerbiakManiac]

The whole disgusting story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24337573/).I have no words to describe my horror and disgust at that "man". And I wonder if those affected by him will ever be able to lead a mentally healthy life.

[Chernabog]

Sex Scandal May Interfere With Sale Of Weather Channel
The Weather Channel, which reportedly is seeking to sell itself for around $5 billion, is attempting to keep secret an arbitration ruling in favor of a former anchorwoman who sued the channel and her former male co-anchor charging sexual harassment, the Smoking Gun website reported today (Wednesday). Hillary Andrews had accused the channel of firing her after the arbitrator's findings were issued on January 31. TSG said that Andrews's predecessor had also been forced out of her job after she, too complained about the behavior of co-anchor Bob Stokes. In her lawsuit, Andrews said that she had initially been reluctant to complain about Stokes for fear of committing "career suicide," and that after she reported his behavior to the channel's officials, she was reassigned to the overnight shift.

Ok so this story just struck me as funny -- there's a sex scandal with... THE WEATHER CHANNEL!?!?! WTF?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Ooh, the weather outside is frightful, the fire is so delightful...

[Ghoulish Delight]

Update on the sicko with his daughter in the basement: I should be applauded for not killing them all! (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24498661/) Piece...of...work.

[Kevy Baby]

Wow. Just, wow.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

No death could be slow enough nor painful enough for that sub-human piece of shït.

[Capt Jack]

I would be willing to try.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

visible mojo to Capt Jack!

[Gn2Dlnd]

Great tits cope well with warming (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7390109.stm) )

Of course, the effects of cold have been more widely acknowledged. }

[JWBear]

Hey guys, here's a picture of a great tit!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1210247951/img/1.jpg

[Capt Jack]

eh, Ive seen better
:p

[Gn2Dlnd]

Bill O'Reily (http://gawker.com/5008668/bill-oreilly-meltdown-resurfaces) (did I spell his name right? Do I care to look it up?) in a "speaks to character" moment.

Be sure to read the comments, especially the one by VirusWithShoes.

[JWBear]

Bill O'Reilly is an @sshole with a short temper. This is news?

[Gn2Dlnd]

No, but the video did inspire me to say WTF?

And, that's not a short temper, that's a mental disorder.

[Kevy Baby]

Man fined for buckling in beer, leaving kid loose
Police 'shocked and appalled' after Australian leaves 5-year-old on car floor

DARWIN, Australia - An Australian man has been fined after buckling in a case of beer with a seat belt but leaving a 5-year-old child to sit on the car’s floor, police said Tuesday.The whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24594248/).

[Moonliner]

I'm sure this one will end up here, so I might as well go ahead and post it myself.....



9-year-old girl's twin is found inside her stomach (http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080515/D90M2C9O0.html)

Ahh, Ewwww...

[Kevy Baby]

I'm sure this one will end up here, so I might as well go ahead and post it myself.....



9-year-old girl's twin is found inside her stomach (http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080515/D90M2C9O0.html)

Ahh, Ewwww...I heard about that this morning on the radio. They actually did a story on this on either House or Grey's Anatomy this season.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Yeech. Why do they have to tell the world about this? :rolleyes: TMI.

[Strangler Lewis]

Man fined for buckling in beer, leaving kid loose
Police 'shocked and appalled' after Australian leaves 5-year-old on car floor

The whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24594248/).

Sounds like a typical American beer commercial with a small print disclaimer at the bottom.

[Alex]

I heard about that this morning on the radio. They actually did a story on this on either House or Grey's Anatomy this season.

If it was House then I think the issue in question was chimerism which is a somewhat different thing (and within a year House, CSI, and Crossing Jordan all did shows where chimerism was the gimmick so I assume something happened to make it news in the 12 months prior to that).

In reading about this stories type of thing (fetus in fetu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetus_in_fetu)) on Wikipedia just now I was surprised to see it is as common at 1 in 500,000 briths. Remember that list (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showthread.php?p=203701) of number of babies born in various countries each year? Well, that means this happens in India about 50 times a year. Neat.

Also at the Wikipedia page you can find reference to a 7 year old Kazakhstan boy referred to a doctor when something appeared to be moving in his stomach.

[Gn2Dlnd]

Excellent comic take on what was happening off camera (http://www.barelypolitical.com/ward-room/episode/WRM_20080515) with Billow.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm am at a loss for words (http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22323/49670).

So. Very. Wrong.

[Capt Jack]

Im gonna go with "not my style"

[Moonliner]

Meh, they are just trying to make a living. They don't need to be the butt of our jokes. I see no need to probe any deeper into this issue. Sure it's a bit asinine but I say we just put this one behind us, pack this fudge product into the commode of our collective conscience and flush it.

[Morrigoon]

Meh, they are just trying to make a living. They don't need to be the butt of our jokes. I see no need to probe any deeper into this issue. Sure it's a bit asinine but I say we just put this one behind us, pack this fudge product into the commode of our collective conscience and flush it.

:snap:

[Not Afraid]

Meh, they are just trying to make a living. They don't need to be the butt of our jokes. I see no need to probe any deeper into this issue. Sure it's a bit asinine but I say we just put this one behind us, pack this fudge product into the commode of our collective conscience and flush it.

I wasn't going to click until I read your post - then suddenly I HAD to.:eek:

Asshole. ;)

[JWBear]

There's a joke about anal retentive in there somewhere, but I just can't come up with it...

[Gn2Dlnd]

Meh, they are just trying to make a living. They don't need to be the butt of our jokes. I see no need to probe any deeper into this issue. Sure it's a bit asinine but I say we just put this one behind us, pack this fudge product into the commode of our collective conscience and flush it.

Rimshot!

[JWBear]

Woman dancing on bar sets customer on fire in Miami-Dade (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flb3bdig05191sbmay19,0,7696652.story)

The woman, described as in her 20s, was at Drake's Bar in Kendall when she agreed to help out with a display involving liquor and fire...

Ah yes, liquor and fire... Always a promise of mayhem to come.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Gary Kasparov interrupted by flying penis (http://gizmodo.com/391794/flying-rc-penis-disrupts-garry-kasparov-speech)

[Moonliner]

Gary Kasparov interrupted by flying penis (http://gizmodo.com/391794/flying-rc-penis-disrupts-garry-kasparov-speech)

Like that hasn't happened to all of us at one point or another....

[Strangler Lewis]

Fischer forfeited his first match to Spassky over this. And everyone thought he was crazy.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I'm am at a loss for words (http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22323/49670).

So. Very. Wrong.NSFW :p

[Kevy Baby]

Florida Woman Sues to Collect on 147-Year-Old Promissory Note - With Interest

The great-granddaughter of a Civil War-era storekeeper in Tampa, Fla. is suing the city for a 147-year-old unpaid promissory note. With interest, the note is now worth over $22 million.Source (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,338569,00.html)

Another story (http://hoodathunk.wordpress.com/2008/03/17/woman-with-civil-war-era-promissory-note-sues-tampa-fl-to-collect-over-22-million/) with more on the legal ramifications.

[Kevy Baby]

Photographer speared through leg by javelin
Man, 33, not seriously hurt, takes picture of own injury at high school meet

PROVO, Utah - A newspaper photographer got a little too close to the action at the state high school track championships — and was speared through the leg by a javelin.Whole story (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24714800/) with photo (WARNING: photo might be a bit much for the squeamish)



ETA: Glad to see the coach's heart was in the right place:
“One of the first things that came to my mind was, ’Good thing we brought a second javelin,”’ Miles’ coach, Richard Vance, said Monday.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I love that he took his own picture. Gotta love shock. They always say that if you're crying, it's a good sign 'cause you're not in shock so the injuries not all that bad.

[Moonliner]

Here is a good example of why judges need discretion on the bench....

Teen nabbed for Naked Myspace pictures. (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0521081myspace1.html)

Lately there have been a spade of articles about kids using cell phone cameras to take naked photos of themselves and then getting threatened with child-porn charges after someone else finds the photos. A gross overreaction

However this kid when asked by authorities to remove the photos of his ex-girlfriend relied: "**** that, I am keeping them up". Idiot.

[Capt Jack]

However this kid when asked by authorities to remove the photos of his ex-girlfriend relied: "**** that, I am keeping them up". Idiot.

yeah, hes real brassy right now. a night or two in the hole for contempt should cure him, folowed by a civil suit from the xgf.

yeah....youre bada$$.......but not for long.

[Kevy Baby]

Stupid people amuse me.

[Moonliner]

Stupid people amuse me.

Then you must be one happy son of a bitch, Stupid people are everywhere....

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Noid attacks Domino's Pizza (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,151193,00.html). No, really.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I'm pretty open-minded about people and preference, but when I read this story (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2000899/Man-admits-%5C'having-sex%5C'-with-1,000-cars.html), all I could think was that I felt terrible for the gay couples who now would have to contend with a really-for-real example for the people who say "if we let them marry, pretty soon somebody's going to want to marry a goat, or a car."

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm pretty open-minded about people and preference, but when I read this story (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2000899/Man-admits-%5C%27having-sex%5C%27-with-1,000-cars.html), all I could think was that I felt terrible for the gay couples who now would have to contend with a really-for-real example for the people who say "if we let them marry, pretty soon somebody's going to want to marry a goat, or a car."

Err, you sure his name isn't Mark McKinney (http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/41f325e282)? [NSFW]*






* UYWAJSSIWCGRA**







** Unless You Work At Jetset Studios In Which Case Go Right Ahead

[LSPoorEeyorick]

TYVMIW!

And, mein got!

Most amusing. And prescient.

"Oh, there's a name, actually..." Heh heh.

[innerSpaceman]

Ok, that video did not help me find out just how it is you have sex with a car.

[Moonliner]

Ok, that video did not help me find out just how it is you have sex with a car.

Let's just say it's exhausting. And possibly very hot.

[Morrigoon]

I've heard of gender-identity issues, but limb-identity?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/138932

(People who want to amputate perfectly healthy limbs)

[Alex]

It raises interesting questions. If wanting to chop off your hand because it just feels wrong and you know you aren't supposed ot have it is a disorder to be treated, what is the differential between that and knowing that it was a mistake you were born a man and therefore removing and reorganizing your genitalia.

The ever challenging question of when deviation from the mean is acceptable variation instead of malfunction.

[Kevy Baby]

They actually dealt with this on Grey's Anatomy. The guy came into the hospital to have his foot removed because it wasn't his. Staff said no, so he ended up chopping it off himself with a chainsaw. In the hospital. Funny stuff.

[Kevy Baby]

Bizarre Cat Health Hazard: Urinating on Electrical Sockets
Pet Death and House Fires Possible

Okay, it is a serious article (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/496659/bizarre_cat_health_hazard_urinating.html) and all, but I found the headline/idea rather bizarre

[CoasterMatt]

Bizarre Cat Health Hazard: Urinating on Electrical Sockets
Pet Death and House Fires Possible

Okay, it is a serious article (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/496659/bizarre_cat_health_hazard_urinating.html) and all, but I found the headline/idea rather bizarre

This instantly made me think of this - "Don't Whiz On The Electric Fence (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RsPMyGIjXk)"

[Moonliner]

Purported UFO video (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/may/28/purported-ufo-video-be-shown-friday/)to be shown Friday


A video that purportedly shows a living, breathing space alien will be shown to the news media Friday in Denver.


While this will certainly turn out to be unconvincing, it made me wonder. In today's CGI on the cheap world, what would it take (video wise) to convince you of alien visitors to earth?

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, it would be impossible to convince me on video.


And that's from someone who doesn't have a particularly difficult time believing in space aliens.

[Alex]

People I otherwise respect and trust not to be playing practical jokes telling me they examined the situation and believe it to be real.

I have no problem believing in aliens. I just think it is almost infinitesimally unlikely they have visited earth. But I could easily be wrong.

[Capt Jack]

yeah, that pretty much says it

http://situbusit.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/i-want-to-believe.jpg

[JWBear]

Man uses gun for backscratcher, shoots himself (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/051408dnmetitch.f81a31c3.html)

He needs to try harder if he wants to win the Darwin Award!

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm too lazy to look them up right now, but within the last few weeks there have been 2 stories of police officers shooting themselves during gun safety training.

[Kevy Baby]

I'm too lazy to look them up right now, but within the last few weeks there have been 2 stories of police officers shooting themselves during gun safety training.Since I am looking to kill a few minutes:

From May 5th (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354149,00.html) (Riverdale, UT)
From May 15th (http://www.littleton-independent.com/site/tab7.cfm?newsid=19693104&BRD=2713&PAG=461&dept_id=559192&rfi=6) (Littleton, CO)

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

http://www.knbc.com/entertainment/16435158/detail.html

Report: Clay Aiken Impregnates Producer, 50

Mother Of Child Reportedly Artificially Inseminated


'nuff said!

[katiesue]

That's just creepy.

[Capt Jack]

geez, if he wants a beard that bad, just grow one

[Ghoulish Delight]

Woman hides in man's closet.....for a year! (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-japan-closet-woman,0,3514188.story)

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Obviously, that man wasn't Clay Aiken--his closet is too full.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Woman Calls Police To Free Her From Her Locked Car (http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=89d59491-3910-45c2-9643-3a2fd9347606)

That headline should have read, "Woman Calls Fire Department To Dislodge Her Head From Her Ass"

[Ghoulish Delight]

We had to call AAA once when my friend, in such a hurry to get out of his car to make fun of me for leaving my lights on, locked his keys in his car. With the engine running. And the car in gear (emergency brake on).

When the locksmith arrived, we asked him if it was the dumbest call he'd ever been on. He decided that the lady who locked her keys in the car with the window rolled down got that prize.

[JWBear]

Woman Calls Police To Free Her From Her Locked Car (http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=89d59491-3910-45c2-9643-3a2fd9347606)

That headline should have read, "Woman Calls Fire Department To Dislodge Her Head From Her Ass"

$100 says she's blonde.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080607/ap_on_re_us/skydiving_death

And there were lots of pictures...

[CoasterMatt]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080606/D914RJPO0.html

Pa. crews rescue nude man stuck in portable potty

LEBANON, Pa. (AP) - Rescue crews had to cut apart a portable toilet to rescue a man who got stuck naked inside the potty. Authorities say the 31-year-old man used his cell phone to call 911 on Sunday from inside a portable toilet.

Police say the man had been drinking and had taken off his clothes. Somehow, he immersed himself in the holding tank.

[Tref]

Pa. crews rescue nude man stuck in portable potty

WTF

[Mousey Girl]

ummm...immersed himself in the holding tank??? ewwwww!!!

[Kevy Baby]

What a headache: Man survives nail in skull
Retiree ‘still good friends' with man who accidentally shot him with nail gun
A Kansas retiree still suffers from some minor headaches but otherwise is fine after a friend accidentally fired a 2 1/2-inch nail into his head during a home fix-it job on Friday.Whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25091319/).

I've seen stories like this before, but it is still weird.



X-Ray image spoilered for the squeamish

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080611/080611-tdy-nail-head.standard.jpg

[Kevy Baby]

Sex-in-church couple repent — and are forgiven
Italians caught in confessional box during Mass make peace with bishop

ROME - An Italian couple who were caught having sex in a church confessional box while morning Mass was being said have repented and made peace with the local bishop.Whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25094280/).

[Chernabog]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0wYXXv2uoY WTF?

[Kevy Baby]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0wYXXv2uoY WTF?And people find this funny? I am speechless.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

And people find this funny? I am speechless.Agreed.

[Disneyphile]

I especially don't find it funny after my seat belt debacle from this morning.

[Alex]

Can you just continuously confess during the sex ("...since my last confession I have engaged in public sex...since my last confession I have engaged in public sex...since my last...") or do you have to wait until you're done and then just confess once?

[€uroMeinke]

And would it be a sin if they were married - I don't recall a though shalt not have sex in a confessional commandment

[SzczerbiakManiac]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0wYXXv2uoY WTF?Wow, what a cünt of a mother! Her son is writhing in pain, about to fall out, and she's laughing at him!?!

[alphabassettgrrl]

Yeah, that just looks like it hurts. I have a coworker who's a fat-kid and he screams random things on roller coasters, and makes me laugh until I cry, but I know he's not actually afraid so that's different.

It took me a bit to realize the woman was laughing at the kid and his screams of "this hurts" and "I'm stuck". The straps look completely inadequate; I'm surprised the woman stayed put.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

To me, he looked like he was choking on it.

I can get the laughing at the screams on a roller coaster. My derisive comment towards her was because of her reaction after she looked at him and saw the position he was in.

[alphabassettgrrl]

You're right- she did look at him, realize something is actually wrong, and continue laughing. Not cool.

[Alex]

Once again Home Depot glues a man to a toilet seat (http://feeds.gawker.com/%7Er/consumerist/full/%7E3/313295556/).

Now, I feel kind of bad for the guy. But I have difficulty imagining how you could sit in glue and not notice immediately.

[Kevy Baby]

German woman claims phobia of official letters
Court rejects mother's appeal of decision to halt child support benefits
BERLIN - A German court has ruled against a woman who claimed a phobia of official letters in her appeal against authorities' decision to cut off child support benefits.The Whole Story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25237964/)

[BarTopDancer]

Canadian Court Overturns Father's grounding of 12 y/o Girl

Story here (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/canada_child_court_offbeat)

OTTAWA (AFP) - A Canadian court has lifted a 12-year-old girl's grounding, overturning her father's punishment for disobeying his orders to stay off the Internet, his lawyer said Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT

The girl had taken her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on websites he tried to block, and then posting "inappropriate" pictures of herself online using a friend's computer.

[Prudence]

Russian spa opens monument to the enema. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1120ap_russia_enema_monument.html?source=mypi)

[Kevy Baby]

Canadian Court Overturns Father's grounding of 12 y/o Girl

Story here (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/canada_child_court_offbeat)Okay... no

I see in reading the story that there is an ongoing custody battle (people should NOT use the children as pawns in a divorce!), but even so, this case should not have gone to court. It is not up to the courts to subvert parental authority (I am talking about grounding or taking away privileges: obviously I am not about to condone child abuse).

[cirquelover]

I'm sorry but if I ground my son for going on the internet and posting inappropriate pictures than he is grounded. The court can say what they want but I'm not letting my child endanger himself. I understand this is an unusual case with a 10 year custody batle but since when can the courts tell me what is appropriate for my child. If I'm abusing my child that is one thing and I should be punished but I won't let my child inadvertantly allow himself to be abused by the internet at such a young age!

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm guessing there's more to this than the story reports. For instance, with a 10 year custody battle, perhaps the father simply is not considered a guardian and does not have the right to inflict punishment. Also, it says "refused to allow her to go on a school trip." Does that mean the trip already happened? If so, what exactly is the point of "overturning" the grounding if the damage has already been done? Is this a gambit by the mother to gain an edge in the custody battle?

I'm taking this story with a whole lot of salt grains.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Russian spa opens monument to the enema. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1120ap_russia_enema_monument.html?source=mypi)Quot ing from that article, "An enema is almost a symbol of our region." Really?!? You should put that on your tourist literature!

And that monument really ought to be a fountain!

[Kevy Baby]

Russian spa opens monument to the enema. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1120ap_russia_enema_monument.html?source=mypi)EneM an (http://home.att.net/%7Eleahland/fleeteneman.html) should have been at the unveiling

http://home.att.net/%7Ezc/fleeteneman1.jpg http://home.att.net/%7Ezc/fleeteneman2.jpg http://home.att.net/%7Ezc/fleeteneman3.jpg

[Kevy Baby]

Eye-catching thong gives rise to lawsuit
Woman claims eye was damaged by piece from Victoria’s Secret underwear
“I was putting on my underwear from Victoria’s Secret, and the metal popped into my eye,” Patterson told TODAY’s Meredith Vieira Thursday from Los Angeles.Uh, honey: you supposed to put the underwear on your WAIST, not your HEAD.

“Victoria’s Secret does have its angels, but as we say, the devil is in the details”

Whole Story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25258522)

[JWBear]

EneMan (http://home.att.net/%7Eleahland/fleeteneman.html) should have been at the unveiling

http://home.att.net/%7Ezc/fleeteneman1.jpg http://home.att.net/%7Ezc/fleeteneman2.jpg http://home.att.net/%7Ezc/fleeteneman3.jpg

Oh man... My job doesn't look so bad now. :eek:

[Disneyphile]

Oh, fling... fling a thong...
Make it stretchy...
So it doesn't pull up wrong...
Don't worry that it might rub against the crack of your big rear...
Just fling... fling a thong...

[BarTopDancer]

Eye-catching thong gives rise to lawsuit
Woman claims eye was damaged by piece from Victoria’s Secret underwear
Uh, honey: you supposed to put the underwear on your WAIST, not your HEAD.



Whole Story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25258522)

The woman and her lawyer were on the Today shoesw this morning. I forget who was interviewing them but she asked two great questions. One was what they had to say to those watching who are rolling their eyes at the lawsuit and the other was how much money did they want.

Lawyer attempted to skirt both questions and gave answers that resulted in more eye rolling. The woman kept saying she was in "excruciating pain". It was completely eyeroll worthy. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[LSPoorEeyorick]

This one comes to us from Time Magazine. Apparently, several girls in Gloucester, MA made a pact to become pregnant (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1815845,00.html). (All of them under 17.)

[LSPoorEeyorick]

And this one is old news. REALLY old news (http://flickr.com/photos/smithsonian/2584174182/).

After parcel post service was introduced in 1913, at least two children were sent by the service. With stamps attached to their clothing, the children rode with railway and city carriers to their destination.

[BarTopDancer]

This one comes to us from Time Magazine. Apparently, several girls in Gloucester, MA made a pact to become pregnant (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1815845,00.html). (All of them under 17.)

Heard about that on the news. They want to raise the babies together and think it's the coolest thing in the world. :(

I can see how the media makes it look "cool". The "baby bump" seems to be the latest accessory to have.

I almost hope Jamie Lynn speaks out about how hard it is to be a teen mom, what she is missing and how it changed her life.

[Alex]

I don't think it is necessarily the media that makes it look cool.

A friend in high school got pregnant when she was 17. Her friends all thought it was the most fabulous thing in the world. Even with my sister telling them how much pregnancy wasn't fun and how tired she was and all that. But she had a cute little toy that loved her unconditionally and provided a purpose and her parents didn't kick her out so she still had a support network and blah blah blah.

She was an inspiration, not a cautionary tale. And soon several of her friends were also pregnant. I swear, the attitude before the reality was more like having a tomagochi than a responsibility.

[Kevy Baby]

And this one is old news. REALLY old news (http://flickr.com/photos/smithsonian/2584174182/).Smithsonian[/B]] After parcel post service was introduced in 1913, at least two children were sent by the service. With stamps attached to their clothing, the children rode with railway and city carriers to their destination.
What was amusing is that the flicker site gives the date of the photo as 1900 yet right in the description (quoted by LSPE above) it says that Parcel Service wasn't introduced until 1913. Ummm...

[LSPoorEeyorick]

They just uploaded a bazillion Smithsonian photos to flickr. I'm pretty sure a lot of their dates are "circa." But you can't honestly think a date listing is funnier than the picture of the baby in the mailbag? Little is funnier than a baby in a mailbag.

[Capt Jack]

not really a 'story' but definitely falls into the WTF category

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8312/foundcatsr7.jpg

[JWBear]

:eek:

[mousepod]

not really a 'story' but definitely falls into the WTF category

This must be a fake. But I'm laughing out loud (at work).

[Moonliner]

Welcome to Maryland.

1. A police office is run over and killed by a perp.
2. Said perp is arrested and placed in solitary confinement.

Can you guess what happens next?



19-year-old man suspected of killing a Prince George's County police officer is found unconscious in his cell, taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

Authorities at the jail say they have no idea why or how White would be found unconscious in his maximum security cell

Authorities do not suspect foul play.

The Maryland Medical Examiner has ruled the death a homicide.

[scaeagles]

"Black hole" is now a racist term. (http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2008/07/is_black_hole_a.html)

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.

Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole."

That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.

[Capt Jack]

<sigh>

I really hate this effin' planet sometimes. truly

[scaeagles]

I'm reminded of another story where a county treasurer used the word "niggardly", which means stingy, in a some meeting and was forced to resign because it sounded too much like the N word and people didn't know the meaning.

[Gemini Cricket]

I'm reminded of another story where a county treasurer used the word "niggardly", which means stingy, in a some meeting and was forced to resign because it sounded too much like the N word and people didn't know the meaning.
From Wiki:
"Niggardly" (noun: "niggard") is an adjective meaning "stingy" or "miserly", related to the Norwegian verb nigle. It is cognate with "niggling", meaning "petty" or "unimportant", as in "the niggling details".Interesting. I don't think I've ever even heard of that word before.

[Gemini Cricket]

AFA Calls for McDonald’s Boycott
The American Family Association has called for a boycott of McDonald’s due to the fast-food chain’s affiliation with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
Tim Wildmon, president of the faith-based organization, told The Washington Post, “We're saying that there are people who support AFA who don't appreciate their dollars from the hamburgers they bought being put into an organization that's going to fight against the values they believe in.”
McDonald’s is newest on the list of businesses and corporations targeted by the AFA. According to the Post, the organization boycotted the Walt Disney Company for its “embrace of the homosexual lifestyle” and Target department stores for using the word “holiday” instead of “Christmas” in its advertising.
"Hatred has no place in our culture," McDonald's USA spokesman Bill Whitman told the Post. "That includes McDonald's, and we stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment." (The Advocate)

So they're boycotting McDonalds and Disney and Ford... Sheesh, what a bunch of rabid dinglecheeses. I say we all don Mickey Mouse t-shirts, get into our F-150's and hit our nearest drive-thrus for Big Macs. After 11am, that is (10:30am in some places).
:D

[Kevy Baby]

And on a lighter note:

He took a seat at Rose Bowl — 39,250 times
Calif. man sets 48-hour world record but vows to sit in all chairs at stadium

PASADENA, Calif. - Jim Purol took a seat at the Rose Bowl, and then another, and then another, until he broke a world record.

The Anaheim man set a Guinness World Record on Wednesday for "Most Seats Sat in 48 Hours" by sitting in 39,250 seats.

He began the task Monday morning, and he's still going, hoping to rest his tush in each of the stadium's 92,542 seats by sometime this week.

The 56-year-old, who already holds several other world records, says he has dreamed of tackling the Rose Bowl seats for 20 years — ever since he sat in all 107,501 chairs at the University of Michigan's football stadium.

The feat has taken a toll on his body and his cleanliness, as soot on the seats rubbed off on his clothes. He says he loves the Rose Bowl but calls the place "filthy."That is the whole story this time, but here is the link none-the-less (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25616907/).

It's good to have goals in life.

[Ghoulish Delight]

It's good to have goals in life.
In American football they're called "end zones".

[Capt Jack]

"Hatred has no place in our culture," McDonald's USA spokesman Bill Whitman told the Post.

can I at least still hate their food?

[JWBear]

I'm reminded of another story where a county treasurer used the word "niggardly", which means stingy, in a some meeting and was forced to resign because it sounded too much like the N word and people didn't know the meaning.

And it reminds me of a story I heard about a man who almost got fired for using the sentance, "We need to take pedantic approach in our training." in a memo. Some dinglecheese manager thought it meant molesting little boys. :rolleyes:

[CoasterMatt]

Sorry to go back a couple stories - but WTF is with everybody saying that the video of the screaming fat kid is on a rollercoaster? It's a slingshot ride - a ride that can terrify even a freak like me - what a mean mom.

[alphabassettgrrl]

From Wiki: niggardly
Interesting. I don't think I've ever even heard of that word before.

I've heard it. Not in common use, but I knew what it meant. I didn't know it was Norwegian! That's cool.

I say we all don Mickey Mouse t-shirts, get into our F-150's and hit our nearest drive-thrus for Big Macs. After 11am, that is (10:30am in some places).

It's every American's duty!

And it reminds me of a story I heard about a man who almost got fired for using the sentance, "We need to take pedantic approach in our training." in a memo. Some dinglecheese manager thought it meant molesting little boys. :rolleyes:

Ah, yes, ignorance in action. ::sigh:: Got to wonder about the people who are so quick to be offended over something they don't actually know the meaning of.

[Gemini Cricket]

can I at least still hate their food?
Yes.

[Snowflake]

So they're boycotting McDonalds and Disney and Ford... Sheesh, what a bunch of rabid dinglecheeses. I say we all don Mickey Mouse t-shirts, get into our F-150's and hit our nearest drive-thrus for Big Macs. After 11am, that is (10:30am in some places).
:D

"Hatred has no place in our culture," McDonald's USA spokesman Bill Whitman told the Post. "That includes McDonald's, and we stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment."

You know, for this, I would go off my "diet" and partake of a McDonald's something. Give Bill Whitman a shiny gold star!

[LSPoorEeyorick]

We're saying that there are people who support AFA who don't appreciate their dollars from the hamburgers they bought being put into an organization that's going to fight against the values they believe in.

This dude has it backwards. Their dollars are being put into an organization that's going to fight FOR the values they DON'T believe in. Gays are not fighting against anybody's rights or values, they are fighting for their own to be respected and accepted.

[Gemini Cricket]

Well, I had McDonalds for lunch and I feel like ralphing!
:D

[scaeagles]

Gays are not fighting against anybody's rights or values, they are fighting for their own to be respected and accepted.

No one has a right to be respected or accepted. It is common decency to do so, but they are not rights to be expected.

I realize many people will be angry over that, but I believe it's true.

[Ghoulish Delight]

No one has a right to be respected or accepted. It is common decency to do so, but they are not rights to be expected. Everyone has a right to be treated equally by the law. That is a form of respect and acceptance.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I didn't say they were fighting to be personally accepted by the world at large. The fight is for their legal rights to be accepted by the government, which I personally think is not only possible, but within our generation's grasp.

[scaeagles]

Everyone has a right to be treated equally by the law. That is a form of respect and acceptance.

That I certainly agree with.